“This brought back memories from the 1950s. I delivered print matter to the makers. They were called Lampson-Paragon and were off the Great North Road, in London. Incidentally, in the same area was a large company called Staples Mattresses, which we don’t hear of any more.”

Correspondent Michael Clarke also revealed these chutes were also closer to home.

“Among other shops using the fascinating system during my 1950s/60s boyhood, were the Beehive, Grice’s, Smith’s men’s/boys’ outfitters/school uniforms, who had a great basement toy department, too, at the top of High Street,” writes Mr Clarke, of Norfolk.

“Indeed, the chutes were a very important and effective part of hot metal newspaper production days at the Mercury’s Albion Street offices, which was continued by way of a completely newly- installed system at the new St George Street offices, in 1965.

“Copy and proofs accelerated around tunnels above the office, between newsdesk, sportsdesk, subs, composing room and proof readers. I think it was a Lamson.

“Its apparent speed seemed to add to the excitement of producing a newspaper, in days when targeted edition times were crucial. Mind you, it never prevented face-to-face interaction at the various stages of production – all part of those all-hands days of five or six daily editions.

“However, I don’t recall such a system at the 1930s purpose-built Leicester Evening Mail newspaper office – I believe the design of the building lent itself to the use of ‘runners’.”